John Piper
John Piper is the Pastor for Preaching at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Author of more than 20 books, his preaching and teaching are featured at the Desiring God website and on the daily radio program Desiring God Radio.

Never miss the latest from John Piper. Subscribe to WORLD Magazine.

Marry. Cry. Rejoice. Buy.

And do politics as though you were not doing politics | by John Piper

Politics is like marrying and crying and laughing and buying. We should do it, but only as though not doing it. Here is a strange text:

The appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none, and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods, and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away (1 Corinthians 7:29-31).

This sounds bizarre. First it says: Don't flee the world. Marry. Cry. Rejoice. Buy. Deal. But then: Do it all as if you weren't doing it. So with politics. How does this work?

"Let those who have wives live as though they had none." If she is exquisitely desirable, beware of desiring her more than Christ. If she is deeply disappointing, beware of being hurt too much. This is temporary—only a brief lifetime. Then comes the never-disappointing life. Marriage—good or bad—is for making much of Christ.

Read the complete article.